KraigG

I recently bought an ignition switch from a rather well known supplier of 928 parts. One who frequently contributes on this board. I made my troubles with my old switch known on this board, and many of you replied with solutions, which included replacing either the lock, or the switch. To make sure I didn’t encounter any more troubles, I replaced them both.

I took my 928 to a local 928 expert. A German mechanic whom many of you in the area use, whose opinions and expertise I trust and value. He installed the switch and lock, and had no troubles doing so. Things went well, and both of the items worked as designed. As soon as I arrived to pick my car up, I could sense that he was worried. The springs in the switch that returned the key to the “run” position had ceased to work, and the key stayed in the “start” position. I took the car anyway, and learned how to turn the key back to the run position.

I notified my supplier of the problem. He said that he would send a new switch as soon as he got a new supply in, and mentioned in passing that he had had an issue with another switch from that batch. I waited for close to a week, and sure enough, a new switch arrived. I rushed it over to Jules, my mechanic. He immediately pointed out the differences in the switches: The one just sent came in a bag with a Porsche part number on it, as well as the inscription “West Germany”. The prior “new” switch did not have this inscription on it, and came in an unmarked clear bag with no part number. He installed the new switch, and the problem went away. The recently removed switch makes a horrible grinding sound now when you try and turn it. Clearly an offshore part, one that the supplier insists he doesn’t carry.

Now the troubles began. The supplier insists that his responsibility ends at the switch, and he is not responsible for labor charges incurred, and that the labor charges are my own. What he’s telling me with that statement is I had better be more selective with who I choose as a parts supplier. The 928 community is a small one, and we, as owners, don’t have a huge choice when it comes to parts. Do we just put up with this holier-than-thou attitude? It’s only $100 in labor the mechanic is charging me for the reinstall, and if any of you have ever changed a switch, you know there’s a bit of work involved in doing so.

What would the rest of you do? Now the supplier has emailed me, and said that he wasn’t even supposed to send me a new part. Is there no responsibility on the supplier’s end? I realize that he didn’t make the part, but as the middleman, it’s up to him to go after whomever supplied him that part, not me.

I won’t mention the name of the supplier, to give him a chance to correct an obvious error on his part. If he won’t, I’ll feel free to mention who it is. I can’t believe he’ll risk his reputation over $100.

Sure, it’s only an ignition switch. But what if it were you, and the part was a connecting rod? Or an oil pump? And you had to rebuild your whole engine because of a shoddy part and an unresponsive supplier?

Big Dave

I understand your frustration, but it would be extremely rare for any parts supplier to include the cost of labor in its warranty.

hitbyastick

My .02 ...
I sold car parts for years for the largest auto parts chain in the country. When the part is defective, you get a new part under warranty. Labor is never taken into the equation.

Fabio421

There is not enough profit built into the part to cover the labor. He cannot be liable for the labor. The only way the supplier would be liable for the labor in my eyes is if the same supplier not only sold you the part but also installed it.

John V

Craig,

these are difficult issues where each side of the discussion beleives they have merit. I think you'll find most respected vendors here are so respected for their integrity, not becuase they only think of themselves. Many are very selfless and I'll go so far as saying they've helped me and this community beyond measure... Thus many (like me) will rightly give them the benefit of the doubt and come ot their defense which I'm sure isn't what you want to hear.

The best way I can think of to make you feel better is to consider the realities of how the service industry works. If you went to a Porsche dealer, or even a good full service shop, they will mark up (some rather heftily) the parts and the labor to cover warranty expenses. In that case, both the parts and labor would be covered.

What many of us do is buy the parts direct to save money ...( and our vendors do as good a job as they can given the falling dollar, rising costs and dealer pricing). and provide them to a mechanic or do it ourselves. In this Cherry picking environment, where you can shop for the best price on each component/labor- you lose the built in margin to cover warranty work and each respective vendor covers only thier contribution. So, if a vendor sold you a 25 cent O-ring that goes on an oil pump pick-up tube that requires 10 hours to change- they are only liable for the .25 part- not the 10 hours. Thats fairly common and contrary to what your suggesting.

My recommendation is to look at it objectively and if you really want full warranty coverage, go to a full service house that provides and warraties both parts and labor. Sorry if thats not what you want to hear but understand i hvae no affliliation to any vendor and do all my own work so I don't have a dog in this fight...I'm juts calling it like I see it.

Jadz928

I would just eat the $100 and be happy it's working properly and not a more involved labor intensive problem.

Now go drive your car and you will forget your troubles...

Tom. M

Heck..the parts supplier could even deny the replacement part since "your" installer put it in wrong and damaged the part in the process... Believe it or not this happens more than you think. I would be happy to get a replacement part and learn how to put it in yourself. The ignition switch isnt' that bad at all....just take your time.. Good luck with whatever you decide..

Vlocity

Sorry:

I side with the vendor. That's pretty much standard pratice in every transaction you make, whether its for a car part or repair to your washing machine and dryer.


Ken

KraigG

But selling inferior parts? I ran a printing company for over 20 years, and had to "do the right thing" on occasion, even though I wasn't required to do so, in order to retain a customer.

And then, to top it off, the supplier claims he didn't even have to provide a new part! The part didn't even work for an hour before it went bad, and the seller claimed it waas an acutal Porsche part, which it clearly wasn't.

GOOD customer service is sorely lacking in the 928 world. Sad.

Angel84-928

I understand your frustration but if you would have bought the part for Autozone, would they have paid for the labor? You can't predict how long a part will function, the best they can do is provide you another part.
Respectfully, I think your expectations are a bit unrealistic.

borland

Read the warranty..... Porsche provides replacement labor with defective replacement parts.

here's the link..

http://www.porsche.com/usa/accessori...rrantyperiods/

click on the PDF link at the bottom of the page, and read page 31.

I only once have filed a warranty with Porsche through the dealer, but since I installed the part myself, I didn't claim any labor.

The parts supplier was wrong in not telling you he was selling you an aftermarket part, when you assumed it was.

borland

Also, I once bought a Ford rebuilt steering rack that was defective. The rebuilder said he would reimburse labor to replace the part. That's normal practice. Usually the mechanic files the claim when he does the actual purchase of parts. In my case, I did the work, so my labor was free.

linderpat

I agree but only if the supplier of the part provided the labor as well. The dealer does indeed mark up the part, and if you buy the paret from that source, have it installed elsewhere, if the part is bad the dealer will only replace the part or refund its price - not the labor costs. There are no margins for that, even in a marked up environment. Further, the part supplier could assert that your remedy lies with the part manufacturer - most don't do that for customer service reasons.
My view - refund on part, no labor included is the way it works....

RyanPerrella

I agree with this

Maybe this isnt a problem for me, as i do all my own work, but i wouldnt expect my parts supplier to pay a labor claim to me on a part that was installed by anyone other then them. If you hired a shop to install their part, then i would expect the shop to be responsible. But your getting your part from a supplier, and your not paying that supplier to install it. I wouldn't cover labor. The switch was replaced, i think thats more that reasonable, but to ask for labor as well, thats not fair. I wouldnt do business with people that expected that. How does the supplier not know your mechanic (whom ive heard is great with 928's) didnt install it properly? Did Jules install it or did he have one of the guys in his shop do it? Regardless, it doesn't matter as you wont, nor should you be reimbursed for labor charges.

Also i would think that the non OE part your talking about which no longer worked is hardly something of such inferior quality to suggest its clearly an overseas replica or something. There arent many companies that make this stuff and the ones that do most likely at one time or another supplied Porsche with parts which are then labeled "Porsche"

I think you have very unrealistic expectations of your parts supplier. I would be curious to see what the policy was of 928 INTL, of 928 SPEC, or Vertex Auto? (other rennlist sponsors)

Good luck

Mrmerlin

Well the moral of the story is, learn how to read a work shop manual and pick up a wrench, and always disconnect the battery when working on any elex system on your car.
Just think, If you were the one that was swapping these parts then your second attempt would have gone much faster and in the correct sequence......... Put a period and move on....
There is no need to threaten the vendor for his policy especially over the internet, it will only make things worse.